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Scoop's Top Fifteen Western TV Shows
Talk about tough picks! We left out The Big Valley, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and The Wild, Wild West. We excluded Annie Oakley, Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp. We left out Wagon Train, Death Valley Days and Kung-Fu. What kind of cruel, heartless people are we? Well, take a look at the list and let us know what you think! 1. Hopalong Cassidy If you weren't there or haven't researched it, you might not get this pick. If you were there, though, or even if you just know your history, when actor William Boyd bought his old B-movies and turned them into the pioneering TV series featuring his most famous character, it was something akin to Beatlemania. If you were a kid and you weren't crazy for Hoppy, there was something wrong with you. 2. The Lone Ranger A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi-yo, Silver!" With his origins in the early days of radio, The Lone Ranger and his Indian companion, Tonto, blazed trails in search of justice. One of the most popular characters in any genre is still instantly recognizable today. 3. Bonanza From 1959 to 1973, the second longest running western series in TV history featured the tale of the Cartwright family, Ben (Lorne Greene) and sons Adam (Pernell Roberts), Eric "Hoss" (Dan Blocker), and Joseph "Little Joe" (Michael Landon). In addition to acting, Landon honed his production skills, adding 31 writing credits and about half that many for directing, preparing himself for the actor-writer-producer roles he took on for later series such as Little House on the Prarie and Highway to Heaven. 4. Gunsmoke If Bonanza was the second longest running western TV series at fourteen years, what else could be in the top spot except Gunsmoke? After airing on radio with William Conrad as Marshall Matt Dillon, the TV series started in 1955 and ran through 1975. James Arness was Marshall Dillon, Amanda Blake was Miss Kitty, and Milburn Stone was Doc Adams for the entire run. Other notables included Dennis Weaver (1955-1964), Ken Curtis (1964-1975), and Burt Reynolds (1962-1965). 5. The Roy Rogers Show Roy Rogers, his horse Trigger, his wife Dale Evans, her horse, and a well-loved supporting cast made the transition from the big screen to the small screen. The show played a major part is sustaining the popularity of westerns and in keeping Roy as one of the most licensed characters ever. 6. Maverick From 1957 to 1962, the western got a little bit of a twist. Beginning in 1957, James Garner played Brett Maverick and Jack Kelly played his brother, Bart Maverick. Brett was particularly good at getting into trouble and they were both more than equally adept at getting out of it. Roger Moore made his American TV debut as Beauregard "Beau" Maverick in 1961 after Garner bowed out of the series. Fondly remembered by many, the series became the inspiration for the Mel Gibson - Jodie Foster - James Garner feature film in 1994. 7. Have Gun, Will Travel From 1957 to 1963, Richard Boone played Paladin, the thinking man's gunslinger. He was as principled and educated as he was courageous and tough. He also had a slightly ruthless streak to him, too. One fan's summation on IMDB.com was, "Such was Palladin, who could quote Shakespeare as well as he used his perfectly balance Cavalry model 1873 Colt Single Action Revolver." 8. The Rifleman Chuck Conners was Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford was his son, Mark in this series that also featured Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance. From 1958-1963, Lucas taught his boy important lessons, which generally included taking care of the bad guys in the fashion the show's might suggest. 9. Cheyenne After the Civil War former army scout Cheyenne Bodie roamed the west, drifting from job to job and town to town, encountering fights, bad guys, and a fair share of women. Clint Walker starred as Cheyenne. 10. The Cisco Kid First appearing in an O'Henry short story, then jumping to radio and then the silver screen, The Cisco Kid debuted on television in 1950 and run through 1956 with Dunan Renaldo as Cisco and Leo Carrillo as his sidekick Pancho. In 156 episodes filled with wit as much as action, Cisco always came out on top. 11. Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Sgt. Preston (Dick Simmons) patrolled the wilds of the Great White North on his horse, Rex, and with his dog, Yukon King, tracking criminals and fighting the elements from 1955 to 1958. 12. Zorro Guy Williams, who later went onto star in Lost in Space, starred as Don Diego de la Vega, better known to the Spanish soldiers that garrisoned the pueblo of Los Angeles as Zorro ("The fox" in Spanish). 13. Rawhide With Eric Flemming as trail boss Gil Favor and Clint Eastwood as his assistant Rowdiy Yates, Rawhide appeared during the heyday of the TV western. Unlike some of the others though, it was aimed slightly more at adult audience. It's 217 episodes from 1959 to 1966 establish it as the fourth longest running western (The Virginian, which didn't make the list, was third at nine years). 14. Wagon Train Lead by the gruff Major Seth Adams, this TV band of westward explorers departed from Missouri after the Civil War and headed toward California. Through the plains, deserts and even the Rocky Mountains, Wagon Train ran from 1957 to 1965. 15. The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr. Either years after or ahead of its time, The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr. is the story of the son of the late Marshal Brisco County, Sr., who was murdered by John Bly and his Gang of 12. Combining wit and education with action, adventure and humor, the series was a mix of The Wild, Wild West, Maverick and the Indiana Jones movies. It's on our list because even though it lasted only 27 episodes it was a great attempt to bring the western back to TV. |
